Starring: Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts
Well, well, well !! That should get the attention. I am a huge fan of Tom Hanks and have never thought twice before picking up any of his movies. He slips into his characters so comfortably that one sometimes tend to forget that he is actually "enacting" a role. He is so subtle, sophisticated and suave and excels in all his roles, be it humor, innocence or weighty. And Julia Roberts opposite him is icing on the cake.
We were looking out for some light-hearted feel-good movies during the holidays and chanced upon Larry Crowne. It not only has Tom Hanks in the lead, but he has also co-written and edited the script. This is how the story goes.
Larry Crowne is a retired Navy veteran, working in a big retail store as a senior employee. He is the star performer in the store and reaps many rewards for his hard work and exemplary service. One fine day, out of the blue, he is fired from his employment citing his lack of higher education as the reason. The new policies in the establishment demand a basic education requirement for him to continue in his service. Larry heads back home dejected, and with the encouragement of his enterprising neighbor, decides to join college. There he chooses two subjects, economics and public-speaking. He does exceptionally well in economics but fares very poorly in his public-speaking class, whose professor happens to be Mercedes Tainot (Julia Roberts). Mercedes is fighting her own personal battle with her alcoholic husband and is, in general, disinterested and cynical about life. On the Contrary, Larry starts finding his youth back again in college. He sells his car and buys a scooter. He joins a club of young carefree scooter riders, led by Talia and her boyfriend, who want to do something different in life. Talia helps Larry change his wardrobe, his hairstyle and also helps him in decorating his house. Larry's lifestyle is completely changed under the vigilance of Talia. He joins a local restaurant as a cook and starts earning part-time when he is not studying in the college. As an ace student of economics, he figures out that he cannot retain his house under any circumstances and decides to foreclose his loan and moves to a smaller apartment.
As Larry's life gets rosier, Mercedes's sinks. After a nasty fight, she decides to divorce her husband and accidentally encounters Larry on the road. This is the first time where they meet off campus and a series of events further make them change their impression on one another. The term comes to an end, and Larry comes out in flying colors in economics, and to everyone's surprise, even in public speaking.
All well that ends well, the movie has a fairly tale-ish ending where the "Teaching beauty" finds her prince charming.
To Summarize, the screenplay is a lot more appealing than the script in the movie. The liveliness of the youth, the hustle bustle of the college, the students on the scooter racing on the roads, the after-college cafe-talks, one student helping out another in whatever way they could- this all brings out the charm of the college days back. And for a middle-aged man to experience the college atmosphere again and relishing every bit of it, is a boon by itself. the movie is so refreshing, Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts are a treat to watch !!
Recommended : 👍👍👍👍
Well, well, well !! That should get the attention. I am a huge fan of Tom Hanks and have never thought twice before picking up any of his movies. He slips into his characters so comfortably that one sometimes tend to forget that he is actually "enacting" a role. He is so subtle, sophisticated and suave and excels in all his roles, be it humor, innocence or weighty. And Julia Roberts opposite him is icing on the cake.
We were looking out for some light-hearted feel-good movies during the holidays and chanced upon Larry Crowne. It not only has Tom Hanks in the lead, but he has also co-written and edited the script. This is how the story goes.
Larry Crowne is a retired Navy veteran, working in a big retail store as a senior employee. He is the star performer in the store and reaps many rewards for his hard work and exemplary service. One fine day, out of the blue, he is fired from his employment citing his lack of higher education as the reason. The new policies in the establishment demand a basic education requirement for him to continue in his service. Larry heads back home dejected, and with the encouragement of his enterprising neighbor, decides to join college. There he chooses two subjects, economics and public-speaking. He does exceptionally well in economics but fares very poorly in his public-speaking class, whose professor happens to be Mercedes Tainot (Julia Roberts). Mercedes is fighting her own personal battle with her alcoholic husband and is, in general, disinterested and cynical about life. On the Contrary, Larry starts finding his youth back again in college. He sells his car and buys a scooter. He joins a club of young carefree scooter riders, led by Talia and her boyfriend, who want to do something different in life. Talia helps Larry change his wardrobe, his hairstyle and also helps him in decorating his house. Larry's lifestyle is completely changed under the vigilance of Talia. He joins a local restaurant as a cook and starts earning part-time when he is not studying in the college. As an ace student of economics, he figures out that he cannot retain his house under any circumstances and decides to foreclose his loan and moves to a smaller apartment.
As Larry's life gets rosier, Mercedes's sinks. After a nasty fight, she decides to divorce her husband and accidentally encounters Larry on the road. This is the first time where they meet off campus and a series of events further make them change their impression on one another. The term comes to an end, and Larry comes out in flying colors in economics, and to everyone's surprise, even in public speaking.
All well that ends well, the movie has a fairly tale-ish ending where the "Teaching beauty" finds her prince charming.
To Summarize, the screenplay is a lot more appealing than the script in the movie. The liveliness of the youth, the hustle bustle of the college, the students on the scooter racing on the roads, the after-college cafe-talks, one student helping out another in whatever way they could- this all brings out the charm of the college days back. And for a middle-aged man to experience the college atmosphere again and relishing every bit of it, is a boon by itself. the movie is so refreshing, Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts are a treat to watch !!
Recommended : 👍👍👍👍
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